


No matter the distance between us, our joy lives in the moments we share

by Marittimo



Series: There's always a space in my heart for you [5]
Category: 24 (TV)
Genre: Chappelle is a great friend, Insecurities, M/M, hiding relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-17 06:34:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29221050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marittimo/pseuds/Marittimo
Summary: Almost a year and a half had passed since Tony had moved in when they received the first call."Almeida." He answered. Even after leaving CTU he hadn't lost his habit of answering the phone that way."Tony?" The confused voice on the other side sounded familiar, and for a moment Tony couldn't quite place it."...Kim? Is that you?"
Relationships: Tony Almeida/Jack Bauer
Series: There's always a space in my heart for you [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2042143
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	1. I'm still caught in your gravity

Almost a year and a half had passed since Tony had moved in when they received the first call.  
"Almeida." He answered. Even after leaving CTU he hadn't lost his habit of answering the phone that way.

"Tony?" The confused voice on the other side sounded familiar, and for a moment Tony couldn't quite place it.  
"...Kim? Is that you?" He asked after a moment, his voice trembling.  
"Yes, uhm... is my father there?" Right, Tony realized. This was still Jack's house, for all she knew he wasn't supposed to be there. God, what must she be thinking of him answering the phone?

"Uh- Yeah, sure." He managed to answer, feeling his anxiety rise by the second. "Wait, I'll go get him."  
"Jack?" He called out tentatively, not knowing what to say. "It's for you."  
"Alright." He said, getting up from the armchair and turning off the TV. "Who is it?"

Tony looked at him for a moment, disoriented and just a little bit scared of his reaction. "It's Kim." He finally confessed.  
Jack paled visibly, his smile fading. "Kim." He whispered in disbelief.  
Tony nodded as he offered him the receiver, and Jack walked towards it with a blank stare.

"Hello?" He answered, uncertain.  
Tony could hear Kim speaking but couldn't make out her words, and honestly he didn't want to. This was about them, and he didn't want to intrude.

"I'll go out for a walk." He said quietly, not to be heard from her.  
'You don't have to.' Jack mouthed at him, but Tony just shook his head. He knew Jack needed some space and would be fine alone.

"I'll see you later. Love you." He whispered with a smile.  
'Me too. So much.' Jack mouthed, but Tony had already turned his back to him, and it was as if Jack had said nothing at all.

~

When he came back Tony found him on the couch with an empty pint of ice cream at his feet and Jingle curled up in his lap.

"Hey." Tony whispered walking up to him, his hand resting on Jack's shoulder.  
"Hi." Jack said turning around, and from the redness in his eyes Tony could tell that he had been crying. The sight was heartbreaking.  
"You wanna talk about it?" Tony asked before he could stop himself. This was personal after all, Jack didn't have to tell him anything. "It's okay if you don't, I understand-" He was quick to add, but Jack interrupted him, shaking his head. "No, it's fine. Come sit down."

Tony did, and Jack was surprised by how much better he felt already now that Tony was there with him. His presence was as comforting as Jack remembered it being during those first days when Tony had just moved in, when he had been the beacon of hope guiding Jack through the darkness of his despair.

Realizing Tony was expecting some answers Jack sighed, then started talking. "I told her you were here for some help with a situation at CTU, and that you answered the phone out of habit."  
"Plausible enough." Tony reasoned, nodding. "For all she knows I'm still working there."  
"I felt like such an asshole." Jack confessed, his voice breaking. "I meant it when I told you I wasn't ashamed of us, but I just... I couldn't tell her. I don't know why."

Tony turned to him, and saw Jack distraught and devastated. He pulled him into a tight hug, and felt him trembling against his chest. "Hey, I get it, don't worry." He assured him, stroking his arm soothingly. "I know you're not ashamed of me. You've proved it to me so many times already. You were the first to suggest we go public, and your only concern was my well-being at work."

"I know that this is different." He finished. "This isn't about me and I understand. I don't blame you for not telling her."  
"She... She told me she's sorry she left." Jack added, whispering. "That she understands now that it wasn't my fault."  
"I'm so happy for you." Tony told him, genuinely beaming.

"She also wants to keep in touch." Jack continued, guilt plain in his voice.  
"That's wonderful." Tony kept encouraging him, and Jack couldn't take it anymore. "I can't keep lying to her!" He exclaimed, torn. "I'll have to tell her at some point." 

Tony sighed, understanding Jack's struggle but not knowing what he could do to help him. "It's your choice to make, love." He said in the end, sighing. "I can't tell you what to do, but I'll always be here to support you."

"I'm so sorry, Tony. You know how much I love you..." Jack started, and Tony nodded. "I do, and this doesn't change it."  
Jack looked up at him, his expression incredulous. "Yeah?" He asked.  
"Yeah." Tony assured him, leaning into him to kiss his forehead.

But, Jack realized, for the first time not even his lover's touch and reassuring words could ease his troubled mind.


	2. Chapter 2

A month had passed and they were back to normality now, the only exception the calls that came twice a week, almost always around 7pm.  
They had become the highlight of Jack's week, and Tony loved seeing just how happy they always made him.

Everything seemed to be going fine until Tony came home after work one day only to find Jack panicking, running around the house like a madman.  
"Love?" He asked, approaching him carefully. "What's going on?"  
Jack looked up at him with pure terror in his eyes. "Kim is coming." He announced and Tony paled, suddenly understanding his worry. "Wha- when?" He asked, concerned.  
"Tomorrow." Jack said, and Tony cursed. "She told me she'll be in the area anyway and would like to meet."

Tony sighed, knowing what Jack wasn't saying but was implicit behind his words. He would have to leave the next day, not come home after work, disappear from Jack's life for a while, and he just wasn't used to the shame of hiding anymore.

Jack saw the sadness fall over him and he suddenly felt guilty. "I couldn't tell her no, dear." He tried to explain, and it hurt him, but they both knew it was the truth. "I missed her so much, and who knows when she'll ever come back! If I pass on this opportunity I'll live to regret it." He explained, hoping that Tony could understand.  
"It's alright, don't worry." Tony assured him nodding, not wanting to reveal just how much it bothered him to have to leave, not wanting to give his Jack yet another weight to carry, even though it was plain his heart wasn't in those words.

"Ok, so... I was thinking that we need to make a few things disappear." Jack said lowering his head apologetically, and Tony's heart sank. Of course Jack was right, but it was still painful and humiliating having to erase all traces of his existence from what was now his own home. 

But for Jack, Tony would have done this and more.

~

First came the basic things. The photos of them on the walls, Tony's toothbrush and robe in the bathroom, his Cubs' mug, and their notes on the fridge that they both liked to keep around as a reminder of just how much they meant to each other. It was nice on good days and very helpful on bad ones, especially after they had a fight over something small; those notes always made them realize how insignificant their disagreements were compared to the love they shared.

As Tony took them off he saw one that he had left just a week before, when Jack had slept in because of a flu and Tony had left without waking him.

 _good morning love_ it read _I hope you're feeling better - try not to miss me too much, I'll be home soon ♡_

It broke his heart having to throw it away, as if that's how much their love was worth; as if for Kim Jack would have thrown _him_ away as well.  
It reminded Tony of that scene from the birdcage where Val convinces his father to redecorate the house and send his partner away, and some part of him wanted to rebel against it, to jump into a monologue about being a middle-aged fag but knowing who he was, and how he wasn't going to let Jack's idiot daughter who abandoned him when he needed her the most destroy that. Fuck Kim, he didn't give a damn what she thought!

But in the end he was too much of a coward to do it, too scared to tell Jack just how bad this whole situation was making him feel, so he said nothing and kept on doing what Jack wanted him to do, trying to will away the sadness that was filling his heart as he scrunched the note into his fist.

~

Waking up the next day to Tony that place didn't even seem like his home anymore.  
As he opened his eyes he wasn't met with the photo of Jack and him that he kept on his nightstand like every other morning, and the tiny teddy bear plushies were gone too.  
Jack had bought him one for their first Valentine's day they had spent together, and Tony had done the same for their second.  
Tony sighed at the memory, remembering just how happy they had been on both of those days.

He got up slowly, quietly, trying not to wake Jack, then dragged himself downstairs to the kitchen.  
As he looked around he didn't even recognize the room. It looked so empty without their notes laying around, without their pictures on the walls, without even the smaller things like Jingle's collar that read _if lost return to Tony Almeida and Jack Bauer_ along with their address and phone number.

It looked as if he had never been there -that was the goal after all, wasn't it?- and he wondered just how easy it would have been for Jack to forget him, erase him from his life completely if he had wanted to.

Shaking his head Tony wished once again this was just a nightmare he could wake from, but he knew it wasn't.  
He could only hope the day passed quickly so he could spend the evening with his lover, hear Jack's reassuring words, being reminded of how much he was loved despite what he might be thinking at the moment.

Another quote came to his mind as he walked out.  
_'It's just for today. Just while people are here.'_

_~_

In their bedroom, Jack woke up to the sound of a slamming door and a car's engine driving away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quotes come from [The Birdcage](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stutOCcFLjw) (1996)


	3. We tried to conceal the scars we wore

Tony had expected the day at the library to be lonely and boring, but the visit of one of Tony's favorite regulars had brightened his day a little.  
Prescott was a 9 years old that came in often and loved to chat, always happy to share with Tony random interesting facts that he had learned as he checked out his books.  
He had talked to him about amber fossils that morning, and Tony had listened gladly, never having to fake his interest.

His parents had tried to stop him from talking that much at first, telling him that he shouldn't bother the librarian. But Tony had assured them it was alright, and had never once regretted it, the kid's enthusiasm as he talked never failing to make him smile genuinely.

But even though his morning hadn't been that bad Tony's sadness came back at lunch break, when instead of driving home as usual he had had to go to a fast-food place.  
He had tried texting Jack but had gotten no reply other than _not now_. He had sighed, disappointed, then had gone back to work.  
He had missed CTU on that day; at least there he could have buried himself in his paperwork to escape his own mind, but at the library he was alone in silence with only his thoughts to keep him company.

When the workday was finally over Jack still hadn't called to tell him Kim had left, nor had he texted him back, so Tony drove to the city center determined to enjoy himself and spend some time window shopping.

~

He had been hanging around the city center for more than an hour already, but unlike all the other times he'd been there he wasn't having a good time at all.  
He felt lonely and couldn't stop thinking about Jack, hoping he would soon get his call, hear him say it was over, that he could come back home.

He had just entered a cafè for the second time when he finally received a message from Jack. He was quick to open it, smiling already, but the text was not what he had expected.

> -There's been a change of plans dear I'm so sorry

It read, and Tony's heart sank.

> -What happened?  
>  -Kim asked me if she could stay the night

"Fuck!" Tony cursed out loud, shaking his head. He knew what Jack was about to say next even before he received the text.

> -I can't tell her no without an explanation. Can you find a place to stay?

Tony felt both disappointed and pissed. Of course Kim came first, and Jack hadn't even asked him how he was. There had been no apologies in those long-awaited texts, no reassurances, no kind words, no pet names...

Tony sighed, but at least he already had an idea about where he could spend the night. His car might not have been that comfortable but it could do and it would be cheaper than staying at any shitty motel.

> -Sure don't worry about me  
>  -Alright just promise me you won't sleep in your car. Those seats are way too hard to be comfortable 

Tony smiled remembering when they had discovered that, when they'd been too eager to wait till they got home.  
They had been coming back from a road trip and Tony just couldn't have waited any longer. He had started running his hand down Jack's thigh, and it hadn't taken long until the car was stopped and they moved to the backseats

Tony sighed, willing those happy memories away as he tried to think of an alternative place to pass his night at.

After a short moment Tony realized there was only one person he could turn to, so he dialed the number and waited until he felt that familiar voice answering.  
"Hey, Ryan." He said. "I need a big favor."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prescott as in Chloe's son? Absolutely. In this AU Chloe lives the happy life she deserves with her family far away from CTU.


	4. Love's truest meaning lives when you're not there

"Tony, what happened?" Chappelle welcomed him with a worried expression, answering the door as Tony's finger was still on the doorbell.  
"Good evening to you too, Ryan." Tony answered with a sad smile. "Can I come in?"  
Looking more concerned by the second, Chappelle nodded. "Yeah, sure."

Once they were inside Chappelle wasted no time making small talk and went straight to the point, to the pressing question that was eating at him. "Talk to me, Tony. What did he do to you?"  
Tony looked at him confused and taken aback. "Uh?"  
Chappelle sighed. "Bauer, Tony." He explained. "You wouldn't be here at this hour if things were fine between the two of you."  
"And I know you're mad in love with him, so whatever had you walking out must be real serious." He paled as an idea entered his mind. "God Tony, did he hit you or something?" He asked, his hands already on Tony's chin, turning his head to the side so he could search for any bruise or cut.

"Wha... Ryan, no!" Tony exclaimed, stepping away. "You know Jack, he would never do something like that, how could you even think that!"  
Chappelle seemed to believe him but still looked at him questioningly, waiting for an explanation. "Then explain it to me Tony, cause I really don't understand. What happened?"  
"It's nothing." He said, lowering his head. "Just... Kim came to visit and we didn't expect her to stay the night."

"I take it he doesn't want her to know about you?" Chapelle inquired raising an eyebrow.  
Tony shook his head, still refusing to meet his eyes. "It's not like that. He's not ashamed of me." He said, more to himself than to Chappelle.  
"I never implied he was." Chappelle pointed out. "You on the other hand..."  
"It's better this way, Ryan!" Tony interrupted him, anger in his voice. "Kim wouldn't understand."

Chappelle looked at him with sympathy. "Is that what you tell yourself?" He asked, his voice gentler.  
Tony sighed, nodding. Sometimes Ryan could read him so well it was frightening. "Yeah. I think I managed to even believe it."  
"Tony... You've been with him for a year and a half by now, you single-handedly helped him to quit drinking and changed his life for the better. Don't you think you deserve a bit more than to be kicked out for _Kim's_ sake? Kim who left him when he needed her the most and repeatedly blamed him for Teri's death?"

Tony chuckled bitterly. "You think he should have chosen me over his daughter, Ryan?"  
Chappelle shook his head. "This isn't about choosing. It's about him hiding you away like you were something dirty. I think you should ask yourself how come you're that disposable to him."  
"I'm not..." Tony protested weakly, his heart sinking and the lump in his throat preventing him to say more, Chappelle's words hurting him more than he was willing to admit.

"Can I use the bathroom?" He murmured lowering his head, his voice almost breaking.  
"Mi casa es tu casa amigo." Was all that Ryan said, and Tony walked to it quickly, hoping his friend hadn't noticed his watering eyes. 

As soon as he had locked the door behind him Tony broke down, letting his tears run freely down his cheeks, Ryan's words still echoing in his head.

He sat down on the floor and shook his head. He wasn't disposable to Jack, he refused to believe that. Jack _loved him!_ He had proved that to him many times!  
Ryan had no right to imply otherwise, no right at all! How dared he!  
He didn't know anything about what they had, had never heard the reverence with which Jack called his name when they were alone, right before he told him how much he loved him; had never seen the loving expression in Jack's eyes when he woke up in the morning and realized Tony was still there with him. 

But that small voice of self-doubt, that spark of self-confidence that was always there to haunt him agreed with Ryan, reminded him how he hadn't questioned it when Jack had sent him away, because he already knew Kim would always come first, no matter what she had done to him.  
Maybe he _was_ disposable to Jack to some extent, he reasoned.

~

"Have you eaten?" Ryan asked him once he had come out of the bathroom, doing his best not to stare at Tony's red eyes.  
"No, not really." Tony confessed. He hadn't noticed his hunger until then, but now realized he was starving.  
"I was just about to call for delivery, you're up for pizza?" Chappelle asked, his voice unusually quiet.  
"Fine by me." Tony nodded, sitting down on the couch next to him.

They sat in silence as Chappelle channel-surfed, both too lost in their thoughts to really care about what was on tv.

"I didn't mean to hurt you with what I said before. I'm really sorry." Chappelle said after a while, not without some difficulty, and Tony lifted up his head in surprise. Ryan had never been one for apologizing to anyone, not even when he had said something intentionally hurtful.  
What was different this time? Had he realized how much his words had affected him, how devastated they had left him?  
"Don't worry. You're just brutally honest, I know you didn't mean any harm." Tony replied after a second, still almost too shocked to form a coherent reply.

"I know you love him Tony, but I just want you to realize that he can be wrong sometimes." Chappelle continued, trying to explain his reasons. "And that kicking you out like this was wrong and unnecessary. You're allowed to feel hurt by it, and I think you should let him know."

Tony nodded, considering his friend's words carefully. "Thanks, Ryan. You're a good friend." He said in the end.  
"I'm a _great_ friend, Tony." He replied with a grin. "Now let's get something to eat. You'll take your usual pepperoni, right?" 

~

Tony had to admit that after a pizza and an evening spent watching the worst reality shows they could find only to bitch about the contestants together he felt somehow calmer, happier. He had managed to forget about his problems for a while and he was so thankful for it. But it was getting late now, and it was time for both of them to get some sleep.  
Chappelle didn't have a spare room, he rarely ever had guests and had always been dead set on his decision to never have kids, so Tony would be sleeping on the couch for that night. Chappelle had offered him his bed, his pity for him evident, but Tony had declined, assuring his friend there was no need for that.

As he laid down on it he realized he hadn't slept on a couch ever since he first moved in with Jack, and the memory threatened to make him too emotional so Tony tried his best not to think about him, and failed miserably as he checked his phone for messages for what felt like the hundredth time in the last hour.

To his surprise he noticed a short message from him, and was quick to text back.

> -Hey  
>  -Hi. You still up?  
>  -Yeah. Kim just went to bed. I wanted to call but she might hear

_'I wish you had, I miss your voice.'_ Tony thought saddening, Ryan's words playing over and over in his mind.

> -Don't worry I get it

He texted instead, determined not to let Jack know of his unfounded fears.

> -Where are you?  
>  -Ryan's. I explained our situation to him

For a moment there was no answer, and Tony started to worry. Maybe Jack didn't want him to know?

> -Are you mad about it?  
>  -No. Chappelle is a good friend. I'm glad you had someone to talk to about this

Tony sighed relieved.

> -What are the plans for tomorrow?  
>  -She'll be gone after lunch. I'll call you as soon as she leaves  
>  -Good. I can't wait to see you  
>  -I can't wait either. I miss you so much  
>  -Miss you too  
>  -Goodnight dear. Love you

Tony smiled down at his phone, glad to read those words that meant so much to him. Still, he felt like he couldn't write them back, his emotions still all over the place, leaving him confused and overwhelmed.

> -Night Jack


	5. I get lost so I'll follow the light to your heart

"Dad, is everything alright? You look tired." Was the first thing Kim told him as she entered the kitchen, and Jack realized he must have looked just as bad as he felt.  
He sighed. He hadn't slept well, had spent the whole night tossing and turning in his bed, missing Tony's comforting presence beside him. He had realized that ever since Tony had come back to him that day a year and a half before, they had never spent an entire night apart.

It wasn't like Jack had never fallen asleep waiting for Tony to come home from CTU, but the past night had been different.  
Tony hadn't come home because Jack _had told him not to_. He had thrown Tony out without thinking twice about it.  
Guilt was still eating at him. How could he have asked Tony to leave? After all the times he had told Tony he loved him, had sworn he wasn't ashamed of him...

"Kim, there's something I need to tell you." He said at last, deciding he was done with his pretense.  
She recognized that serious look on his face and started to worry, her mind already wandering to all the worst-case scenarios, so similar to her father in that. "What is it?" She asked, her voice trembling.

"Relax, it's nothing bad." He assured her and Kim sighed, relieved."I'm just afraid of how you'll react." He confessed, not knowing how to start that conversation. "Take a seat, please."  
She did, sat down in front of him, that worried look never fading.

"Cookies?" Jack offered, taking some out of the cupboard. He remembered baking them on his own just a few days ago, how proudly he had shown them to Tony...  
"Thanks." Kim said, and they started their breakfast.  
They sat in silence for a moment, Kim worrying and Jack trying to find the right words.  
"Just tell me, dad." She said at some point, when she just couldn't take the suspense anymore. "I swear I won't get mad."

"Alright." Jack nodded, taking a deep breath. "I'm seeing someone." He finally confessed.  
"Dad, that's great!" Kim told him excited, smiling genuinely, her face lighting up.  
Jack looked at her puzzled. "You really aren't mad." He said, and it was a statement more than it was a question.

Kim just shook her head, a kind smile on her face. "You deserve to be in love again. I was so afraid you would never move on." She confessed before her curiosity got the best of her once again. "How long has it been going on? Is it serious?"  
"A year and a half." Jack admitted. "And... we've been living together for a while now."

Kim's smile fell. "Have you? Oh dad, she didn't need to leave just because of me, I'd love to meet her, really."  
Jack nodded, unconvinced. "Well, you see Kim, there's something else you need to know." He looked down then, to avoid her eyes. "This person that I've been living with, that I'm _in love with..._ " He took a deep breath and braced himself. "...is a man."

"Oh." Kim exclaimed, mouth open in surprise.  
Jack stood there waiting, and by the time Kim finally spoke again his heart was about to burst. "Sorry, I just... I wasn't expecting this." She admitted, still shocked by the announcement.  
Jack half-smiled. "Yeah, I figured."

"Are you happy with him?" Kim asked after a moment of silence.  
"More than I thought I was ever going to be again." Jack confessed, smiling at the thought of just how much happiness Tony brought him every day.

"Then it doesn't change what I said." Kim assured him, a big smile on her face as Jack looked up to meet her eyes again. "I'm happy you found him."  
"You mean it?" Jack asked, still wary. It all seemed so perfect he almost couldn't believe it.  
She just nodded. "I do."  
"Thanks, Kim. It means a lot." Jack said, getting up and wrapping his strong arms around his daughter in a tight hug, feeling the tears forming in his eyes but not caring, he wasn't ashamed of being seen tearing up anymore. "Thank you." He repeated. 

They broke their embrace after a moment, and Jack felt so incredibly relieved. "Can you excuse me for a moment?" He asked, his phone already in his hands. "I'll let him know we talked."  
"Yeah, sure." Kim nodded, walking to the living room to give her father some privacy. 

As soon as she was gone Jack dialed Tony's number, his heart still beating fast.  
It only got faster as he finally heard his lover's voice once again. "Jack? Why are you calling me so soon, did she leave earlier?" Tony asked, confusion plain in his voice. "Is everything alright? did you two have a fight or something?"  
"No, don't worry. She's still here." Jack reassured him, touched by Tony's genuine concern for him.  
"Okay? I'm confused. What's going on?" He asked.

"I told her about us." Jack confessed and heard Tony gasp. "She doesn't know who you are, I didn't know if you'd want that, but I told her I'm seeing a man, and that I'm in love with him."  
"I love you, dear. And I'm sorry I sent you away." He finally admitted.

Tony was speechless for a moment, and when he spoke next his voice was full of gratefulness. "Love... You didn't have to do this just for me, you know."  
Jack smiled. "I did it for both of us. Because I hate myself for making you leave, and because I meant it when I said I wasn't ashamed of you. I'm tired of hiding from my own daughter."

"What did she say?" Tony asked, crossing his fingers as was his habit when expecting bad news.   
"She took it better than I expected." Jack said, and he sighed relieved. "Of course she was surprised, but she said she's happy I've got you."  
"That's beautiful, Jack." He could hear the smile in Tony's voice and it made him smile as well.

"You can come home now if you want to." He offered. "But if you aren't ready for the official introduction we can always do it another time. Or never, if you choose not to."

Tony was quiet for a while, pondering. "I... I don't know." He admitted after a moment.  
He couldn't wait to go back obviously, but was he ready to face Kim? "Let me think about this, alright?" He said in the end.  
Even though Tony couldn't see him Jack nodded in understanding. "She'll leave in a couple of hours. If you want to, just come before then. If not, I promise I won't hold it against you and I'll call again as soon as she's gone so you can head back."

"Alright..." He said, still lost in his thoughts. What should he do? Could he really just show up? How would Kim react? Would she resent him and think he and Jack were an item even before her mother's death?

"T- Dear?" Jack called him, bringing him back to the present. "Yeah?" He replied.  
"I love you so much. I'm sorry I let you down."

~

Chappelle had heard Tony was on the phone and had decided to stay in the kitchen to give him some privacy. Only when he heard Tony hanging up did he walk into the living room to check on him. "Was that Bauer on the pho- Tony what happened, why are you crying?" He asked, concerned. Did he have to go find Bauer and kick his ass? Break his neck?  
But despite his crying Tony looked up from the phone with a big smile. "He chose me, Ryan." He said through the tears. "He chose _me!"_

~

"Tell me about him." Kim asked once her father joined her in the living room. They sat on the couch together, and Jingle had already made herself comfortable on Kim's lap while he was on the phone.  
"I don't even know where to begin, he's... incredible." Jack said, knowing it didn't even start to cover Tony's greatness.

"He's borderline obsessed with photography, loves to sneak up on me with that damned camera of his." He confessed with a smile. "Sometimes he'll surprise me with a framed picture of us, we usually have them all up there on the wall." He said, gesturing towards the empty wall beside them.  
Kim looked down then, aware they must have taken them down because of her.

"He's also a great cook. He managed to teach me how to make some simple dishes and I think I'm becoming quite good at it." Jack continued, and Kim nodded in agreement. "You are! That steak yesterday was great."

"What else, uhm... He's into gardening, I'm sure you've noticed the roses outside?" Kim nodded. "And... What is it?" He asked, seeing Kim's delighted expression all of a sudden.  
"I can tell you really love him." She told him. "And I missed seeing you smile."

~

Tony reached the door and knocked.  
He could have used his keys but wanted to warn Jack of his presence, make sure this was really what Jack wanted before he did anything he couldn't take back. 

As soon as Jack opened the door and saw him he was quick to launch himself at him, bury himself in Tony's arm and breathe in his scent.  
"I'm sorry." Was the first thing Jack said. "I should never have kicked you out, I understand that now. Can you forgive me?"  
Tony smiled as he relaxed in his lover's arms. "Love, I forgave you already. And I meant it when I said I understood your reasons."

They stood like that for a while longer, just losing themselves in each other's arms.  
"I'm so happy you came." Jack told him as soon as they parted, and Tony raised an eyebrow. "You didn't think I would?"  
"I wasn't sure." He admitted. "But I wouldn't have judged you if you hadn't. I bet you're just as nervous as I am."

"You really want to do this?" Tony asked, looking up at him with questioning eyes. "You know you don't have to do this just for me."  
Jack nodded. "I'm sure," he said, "but only if you are too."  
Tony smiled, holding out his hands for Jack to take. "Let's go then, it's cold out here." He said, and Jack's hand wrapped around his as they crossed the threshold together.  
They were both smiling proudly as they walked into the living room.

"Kim? I'm sure you remember Tony."

**Author's Note:**

> Titles come from Biffy Clyro's Space


End file.
